Wisconsin Titanic: Criminal Probe Heading Scott Walker’s Way

[upstatecajun]

This morning, a criminal complaint filed in circuit court alleges that William Gardner, the president and CEO of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., skirted campaign donation laws by soliciting employees to give to Scott Walker’s campaign and then reimbursing them, in what amounts to two felony counts. It has also come out that Walker’s campaign then reimbursed Gardner and seven additional railroad employees to the tune of $43,800, which indicates a criminal probe is imminent of Walker’s campaign.

http://www.politicususa.com/en/criminal-probe-scott-walker











http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Liberal-Ohioan/195130570504421

[notadmblnd]

1. Can you believe that there are un-recs on this?

[RoccoR5955]

3. Sure I believe that there are unrecs...

The RepubliCONs PAY people to unrec stuff here!

[FourScore]

8. It's getting really noticeable. n/t

[Enthusiast]

32. We have been inundated by

stealth Republicans as of late. They are bold and will often argue a position that exposes them for the slime they are.

[BobbyBoring]

39. You would think the dumb asses would learn something

NOT!

[Enthusiast]

49. They have been effectively brainwashed.

Brainwashed is an excellent term for it.

[BobTheSubgenius]

108. I think a light rinse would do it. n/t

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wilt the stilt]

78. I've been here a long time and I agree with the previous writers

This site used to be a welcome retreat from the Dolts but now we are even fighting them here. What a pathetic bunch of losers. As opposed to them I have no interest in going to their sites becoming a member and then commenting. It shows how childish they are.

[savalez]

82. Of late? I've suspected that from the first day I got here. nt

[fatbuckel]

84. They`re not very stealth!

[peace frog]

94. You got that right, bunky

Persistently clueless and damn proud of it. :crazy:

[roguevalley]

106. they 'zot' themselves.

[Beartracks]

31. Really?! Where do I sign up?

Would I actually have to unrec things, or would they just take my word for it??

:evilgrin:

----------------------

[Newsjock]

4. We must look forward and Win The Future

Looking back is counterproductive and keeps America from achieving the greatness that is rightfully ours.

:sarcasm:, I think, although I nearly deluded myself.

[PeaceNikki]

5. Maybe because it's "old"

In that the press conference referenced happened already:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x867490

:shrug:

[notadmblnd]

7. okay, but there is one more fact in the op than the post you referenced in the link

and that is that the Walker campaign reimbursed the guy. That part is new.

[PeaceNikki]

11. When I heard that I was all thinking YAY!! Criminal charges!! We can get rid of Walker even sooner!

... until a friend harshed my buzz by saying ".....hello Governor Kleefisch!". o_O

[murielm99]

28. I believe they have to have a special election to

elect a new governor.

[IScreamSundays]

73. What is also new if you read between the lines is:

Looks like this campaign "contributor" rolled over on Walker. It's the little things that make my day.

[pintobean]

15. I unrecced just because

you broke the unwritten rule - don't talk about unrec.

And I don't get paid for it.

:)

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. I rec'd because you un-rec'd.

Neener.

[pintobean]

19. That wrecks my whole evening

x(

[cui bono]

103. There are substances that can unwreck it.

:)

[Jackpine Radical]

56. Wreck!

[demwing]

43. The 1st Rule of Rec Club?

[kenfrequed]

79. That is ridiculous.

I would rec again for your saying something so absurd had I not already recommended this. Could you do me a favor and message me when you do your unreccing in the future for that reason so that I can jump on and wreck your unreccing by reccing?

[pintobean]

100. You are correct; it's ridiculous and absurd

and very tongue in cheek. I'm pointing out the ridiculous by being ridiculous. You busted me. As you can see, my unrec destroyed this thread.

[lark]

104. So you do saboteur work for free

because you believe the Repugs are right and you are part of the "me only" crowd?

[pintobean]

109. saboteur work?

:rofl:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

122. hooray, you're a contrarian.

do you jump off cliffs too, just because no one else does?

Or do you NOT jump off of them because CONservatives do?



There are a lot of unwritten rules that I wonder now whether you confound purely for the joy of confounding?


;)

[pintobean]

123. I've jumped off a lot of cliffs

dove off a lot, too. I never realized it was political or contrarian.

I guess you missed all the rec/unrec wars. It looks like they're back.

I think you're showing way too much interest in me; I'm not that interesting.

[elocs]

17. What I can't believe is that someone would actually use the 1st response to complain about it. n/t

[NBachers]

29. Yeah people are just peeing at the gate, waiting to post the first comment and complain about unrecs

It's the new "Frist!"

[DiverDave]

36. It's a valid point

It IS pretty ridicules that even before any responses, there are unrecs

[stubtoe]

98. And you consistently point this out.

[elocs]

132. Isn't it good to be consistent?

:shrug: Yet people continue to on one hand claim or infer that an OP is important, yet they use the first response only to complain about how dare somebody UnRec a thread they like. The irony is how often the thread ends up on the Front Page with a hundred or more Recs.

On edit: currently over 500 Recs and on the Front Page. Yes, let's break out the violins for using the first response to whine about an UnRec.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

22. DUers are probably sick of Wisconsin threads -nt

[999998th word]

34. No.

[BillyJack]

35. No

[behrstar]

44. No

[Dappleganger]

51. Hell no, WI matters all the way down here in FL!

[Mnemosyne]

92. And it matters over in PA too! K&R n/t

[kag]

54. No. n/t

[eowyn_of_rohan]

57. wow - I am glad to know our state news is not becoming tedious

We're all together in this fight - thank you for your support - it means so much.

[polmaven]

70. Well, not really,

but this DUer is long since very sick of all the whining about unrecs.

[LiberalFighter]

86. Wisconsin gives us hope. Shows what can be done. Shows people care.

[October]

90. No we're not. We're inspired!

/nt

[eowyn_of_rohan]

136. cool!

I would say thank you to everyone who says "no" but it would be weird

SOLIDARITY!

[catrose]

91. absolutely not

[peace frog]

95. Hell no

I'm following this sad, sordid tale right to the bitter end.

[hay rick]

107. Confusing DUers with the MSM?

They were sick of Wisconsin on day one.

[tosh]

111. No.

[vduhr]

119. NO!!!!

[lutefisk]

130. Can't get enough of them...nt

[djp2]

24. Do away with unrec

unless names are named each time...This feature was added to allow trolls to downplay our actual recommendation counts...I see no other reason fo rit

[russspeakeasy]

47. Great idea.

[kag]

55. I agree.

If you don't like the post, then don't rec it. "un"rec-ing seems counterproductive.

[SidDithers]

66. Rec and unrec are both going away in DU3...nt

Sid

[FiveGoodMen]

101. Agreed.

[orbitalman]

124. Hell Yes!!!!! Just like FaceBook.

[AllyCat]

30. How do you see unrecs? I've never been able to see that.

Do you click somewhere? Or is it just because you were the first to post?

[lunatica]

40. When you rec and the count is still zero, it means it's been unrec'd

[AllyCat]

137. Thanks! That makes sense.

[Myrina]

50. Probably because it's a duplicate thread ...

... the topic was already tossed around by us on the 'day shift' on Monday, only to be re-dredged in this thread by the 'overnighters'.

[SidDithers]

61. And now it's at +301...

sometimes threads get unrecc'd by accident. Good threads, like this one tho, always get the recs they deserve.

Sid

[Renew Deal]

88. Unrecced for mentioning unrec.

Just kidding. I'm not that dense. :D

[harmonicon]

112. shit! I recommended it before I read the replies.

I immediately un-rec any thread where the first comment is about a simple feature of the website.

[progressoid]

129. I unrec'd it for being hyperbolic, misleading, and inaccurate.

[obxhead]

134. Can you believe the first post on this thread is whining about unrecs?

K&R.

[Vanje]

2. Greatest-page bound nt

[malaise]

6. Walker has been cheating at elections since college days

Isn't that why they kicked him out

[Snoutport]

116. really? haven't heard that.

[Bozita]

9. Geoffrey Fieger was prosecuted on identical charges by the Feds

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E4DE1231F931A35751C1A9639C8B63&ref=geoffreyfieger

National Briefing | Midwest: Michigan: Federal Agents Raid Office Of Prominent Lawyer
Published: December 2, 2005
E-MAIL
SEND TO PHONE
PRINT

Federal agents raided the office of Geoffrey Fieger, a prominent lawyer and candidate for state attorney general, as part of an investigation by the Justice Department, officials confirmed. Mr. Fieger, left, a Democrat who gained fame defending Jack Kevorkian, said the investigation was politically motivated. Agents from the F.B.I. and Internal Revenue Service raided Mr. Fieger's Southfield office Wednesday, seizing boxes of financial documents, Mr. Fieger said. Federal authorities would not disclose the reason for the search, but Mr. Fieger said subpoenas left by the agents said they were looking into campaign contributions his staff made to the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, and his running mate, John Edwards.

Photo

[plantwomyn]

81. And?

What's your point?

[sabrina 1]

10. I keep reading here that Democrats can't win by pushing

progressive issues, which is why they have to 'capitulate' all the time.

Nevermind that almost all polls contradict that claim.

But this cheating by Republicans in every way they can think of, from the HBGary smear campaign against liberals, to the Chamber of Commerce and the Health Care Ind. Smearing and lying about people like Michael Moore? They've got whole organizations working night and day to deceive the American people and apparently they spend billions on demonizing, smearing, lying about, distorting and like this OP, committing outright crimes, just to stop the progressive message from getting across.

If the country was so 'center right' or whatever, why would this effort to block progressive ideals from reaching the public be necessary?

I think the answer is clear. The country not only is ready for the kind of socialism they have in Europe eg, and left alone, that's what they would vote for.

Cheaters only cheat when they can't win any other way.

[Graybeard]

12. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

A very big iceberg at that. Stay tuned.

[IScreamSundays]

75. That would be lovely!

Hope you know something.

[peace frog]

96. Tease!

If you know something more, then do please Spill Baby Spill. ;)

[Blue Owl]

13. It would be a nice touch if WI's railroad buster was busted because of a railroad

n/t

[ShockediSay]

14. This is how fascism gets started

Right Wing
Super Wealthy Funded
Corporation
Controlled
Media
Propaganda Pumping
w/ Scapegoating
&Union Busting
=Fascist Regime

That's how it got started in the 20th century
and that's how it's starting here and now.

[xchrom]

16. Recommend

[PufPuf23]

20. I hope this is true and there are felonies and prosecutions.

The last decade regardless of party makes me a cynic as to any fair justice. I also know for a fact that State Superior Courts courts are corrupt and the State Bar protects rather than cleanses.

Usually matters like the Wisconsin Superior Court election turn out to be a distraction ala Fitzmas and Rove, Cheney, et al.

It is likely too late to secure the evidence for election fraud and a full and fair recount will not occur.

Obama and Holder did not prosecute admitted war crimes yet lied about medical marijuana enforcement.

I have a friend who is a Fed in a MM state where career employees have been told that they are subject to termination with a spouse that is has an rx and uses MM.

The rule of law is gone in the USA unless one has $$$ and connections with the PTB at jurisdiction level.

Holder defended Drummond Coal. POTUS Obama appointed Holder AG. Enough said.

[marions ghost]

77. State courts are corrupt

Seconding that. And everything else you said.

There is no justice for the average person in America. We just don't have enough money. People don't realize it, until they try to use the system as it was intended and run up against the roadblocks.

[undeterred]

21. I'M GOING TO BE REALLY PISSED IF WE DON'T GET TO RECALL HIM!

[eowyn_of_rohan]

23. They fail to mention that several Dems benefitted from this too

The complaint shows illegal contributions went to other campaigns as well.

Railroad money was used to give $500 to Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) in 2003; $500 to then-Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield) in 2005; $5,000 to then-Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat; $3,500 to the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee in 2009; and $500 to then-Speaker Mike Sheridan (D-Janesville) in 2009.

Darling received the $500 donation from railroad employee Ken Lucht in 2003, but he wasn't reimbursed by the company for it until two years later.

The Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee gave the $3,500 it received to charity in 2010 after reports surfaced about Gardner making illegal donations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I doubt this will hurt Wacker much at all, but I wish it would

[LiberalAndProud]

25. I don't understand how the Walker campaign is linked criminally.

The Walker campaign reimbursed Garder and seven other railroad employees. Isn't this simply returning improper donations? It makes no sense that Gardner would give money to the campaign only to be paid back by the campaign.

What am I missing?

[progressoid]

26. It doesn't. But it makes for great internet hyperbole.

Looks like the investigation is over without anyone from Walkers campaign or the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee being implicated.

__________________________________________________________

Gardner, owner and president of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., will pay $166,900 and plead guilty to two felony charges of violating Wisconsin’s campaign finance laws.

The plea ends a months-long investigation by the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The Milwaukee County district attorney on Monday filed a circuit court lawsuit against Gardner, which he settled with his guilty plea.

...

Two of the contributions, totaling $8,000, went to campaigns for former state Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan and the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee. The rest of the money went to the Friends of Scott Walker committee. The investigation uncovered no evidence that officials at the Friends of Scott Walker committee were aware the contributions violated state law. The committee returned the illegal contributions to the donors.


http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2011/04/11/rail-company-exec-pleads-guilty.html
Read more: Rail company exec pleads guilty | The Business Journal

[IScreamSundays]

76. Well, it looks like you are right but...

it doesn't say when they were returned. Probably during the investigation, wouldn't you think?

[LiberalAndProud]

87. Why would that matter?

Wasn't there a big stink about Clinton and bundling?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119025305222133413.html

A politician won't necessarily know that contributions aren't legit until an investigation is underway. It is absurd to think that Walker is going to be investigated, much less ruined by this.

[undeterred]

46. Nothing. This doesn't stick to Walker.

Gardner gets 2 years probation and money gets paid back. Its a big deal for a campaign violation but its not a big deal for Walker.

[GillesDeleuze]

67. ^ this is correct!

(why would a campaign benefit from giving away $? you give away tax dollars to fat cats when elected.. not before!)

[KelleyKramer]

27. well well, kick this up

the plot thickens

keep it up WI!

[Enthusiast]

33. K&R

I sure hope this works out in our favor.

[liberal N proud]

37. The great thing about arrogance...

They usually think they are above the law and if we are lucky they get caught.

I hope this humiliates him and the Koch's in the process and he will be forced to resign in shame.

[spicegal]

38. To be a Republican means to have no conscious. To be a

Republican means you don't care whether you beg, borrow, steal, lie, commit fraud, whatever it takes to get what you want. To be a Republican means that if the truth should happen to come out, you do WHATEVER is necessary to hide it or shut it down.

[madokie]

41. Now that is some good news to wake too

rec

[opihimoimoi]

42. OMG...at last something slimey to pin on him...LOL

[Overseas]

45. K&R! Yes Please! //nt

[TownDrunk2]

48. Yes! Go Wisconsin!!!!

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WhiteTara]

53. good news after they said they only wanted probation

for the saboteur of our government.

[mikekohr]

58. Walker can share a jail cell with our ex-gov, Grumpy George Ryan (R) IL

and that'll save taxpayer money.

[mucifer]

59. and gov blago nt

[ChiciB1]

62. You Know What? I've Become SUCH A Cynic, I'm Betting NOTHING

will happen to him! How I wish I could BELIEVE again!!!!

[SidDithers]

63. K&R...

Hope he sinks.

Sid

[AikidoSoul]

64. Please put them in jail

It would put a big smile on my face. :P

[GillesDeleuze]

65. Try a local source. yours is being 'misread'

The reimbursement means that the Walker campaign gave the money back after their lawyers thought it looked bad--Not that walker's campaign contributed to the finances of rail employees.

[Search4Justice]

68. K & R

[Hubert Flottz]

69. Too big to jail?

Don't look back!

[crazylikafox]

83. LOL. Great line. Let's use it.

[L. Coyote]

71. REC #328

[spinbaby]

72. This sort of thing is very common

I can name at least three companies that REQUIRE management-level employees to donate to their favored candidates. In one case, said employees also required to attend fundraising events. As far as I know, none of them reimburse employees, it's just understood they won't have a job if they don't cooperate.

[lonestarnot]

74. Delicious!

[mvd]

80. K&R

:kick:

[Stuart G]

85. Rec 365, nt

[ladywnch]

89. get the kettle going! time to make some popcorn!

:popcorn: :beer:

[RedCloud]

93. Woo-hoo! Our train for justice is bound for glory! All on board!

[femrap]

97. love it....so

skip recall and land in jail?

[yurbud]

99. let's hope the case doesn't make it to the Supreme Court where it would thrown out

because it might tarnish the legitimacy of the Walker governorship.

[LaPera]

102. Oh yeah, we ALL know there's a lot of republican lies, slime & corruption concerning Walker and

his greedy selfish power hungry backers, Koch brothers, the fascist controlling corporations along with the union/workers busting republican party - they are all involved in the poison to our freedom, democracy and destruction of our society!

[Better Believe It]

105. K & R

[beac]

110. K&R! n/t

[Imajika]

113. I'm sorry, but this article/blog is very misleading...

It looks to me like Walker accepted donations from a crook and gave them back. From what I understand other people, including Democrats, received donations from perhaps the very same crook and returned them as well.

This blog seems to hype the notion that Walker "reimbursed" the railroad CEO, but didn't he just return ill gotten campaign contributions? That isn't even particularly unusual.

Maybe I am missing something, but this looks like a hysterically written blog which is providing very misleading information.

[LiberalAndProud]

114. Agreed. The writer insinuates a great deal.

... and here we sit on the greatest of the greatest page.



It's a puzzlement.

[Snoutport]

117. unless he KNEW there was a violation of the law...

and if he paid it back, then he knew. The question is WHEN did he know the money was in violation of the law.

[LiberalAndProud]

118. The narrative will be that he returned the money as soon as he became aware of the illegal activity.

Isn't that SOP for political type persons?

[bobburgster]

115. Oh lordy, lordy, lordy! God is listening.....

to my prayers!

[Crusader Rabbit]

120. Dirty Money, Dirty Boogie

Oh Goody...

If it is true then double dip the gov and let the entire country remember when national elections come again. If it is false forget it.

[WillyT]

121. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[dogday]

125. Rec # 500

:hi:

[Uncle Joe]

126. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, upstatecajun.

[upstatecajun]

135. Your

Welcome, WOW I had no clue it would take off like this. :yoiks:

[progressoid]

127. Wow 500+ recs. Ya'll know that WI Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee also recieved his money

No mention of that here.


Edit: The Democrats didn't return it, they donated it to charity.

sorry for the error.

[Imajika]

128. People only want to hear what they want to hear...

The blog/article is about as misleading as it gets. It is hysterically touting some big story, but if one even bothers to read from other sources or look at the details they'd realize it is almost an absolute nothingburger.

Walker didn't "reimburse" the crooked railroad CEO, he returned campaign contributions - along with Democrats.

Walker and his Republican toadies may very well be corrupt to the bone, but this story is almost certainly not going to even faze him.

[Imagevision]

131. GE owns practically all of the M$M that's why no coverage...

[LaPera]

133. 533 - About an hour left to go - What's the DU record for most recs. in a 24 hour period anyway?